Thursday, January 31, 2013

Strong condemnation on publishing fabricated news by The Daily Star

A policeman died at Manirampur, Jessore, Bangladesh. This was reported while police obstruction was in progress of a procession brought out by Jamaat and Shibir in support of hartal/general strike called by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami. Various TV stations, including ATN News, Ekattor TV and Independent, have independently confirmed that the death of the police constable Jahurul was of illness (either of a stroke or heart attack) on his way to the hospital.

However, the Daily Star, in a blitzkrieg of an article, has claimed otherwise,"Policeman killed in clash with Shibir in Jessore". In a dubious take on the incident, "At one stage, the Shibir men started to hurl brick chips on the law
enforcers, compelling the police to retaliate with blank shots.The law enforcers also charged batons on them to bring the situation under control. Nine policemen including Zohurul got hurt by the brick chips hurled by the Shibir men.Zohurul
was rushed to Monirumpur Upazila Health Complex. He was later shifted
to Jessore Sadar Hospital where doctors declared him dead around 8:00am. Police rounded up four Shibir men from the spot."

Banglamail24.com also published a similarly vengeful article "Cop killed in Shibir attack in Monirumpur", saying, "A police member was killed and 10 others including police men were
injured when a group of Shibir activists attacked them during hartal
hour at Monirumpur upazila of the district Thursday morning."

Such fabrication of facts by a respected daily such as Daily Star is to be condemned.I protest this yellow journalism.

Update: Daily star has changed its report to reflect first hand accounts and refuted fact that hartal protesters were responsible for the death of the policeman with a modified report "Policeman dies during hartal duty in Jessore"